Siege of Yanzhou (194)

The Siege of Yanzhou occurred in 194 AD when Cao Cao and his army recaptured Yan Province from Lu Bu's forces shortly after their victory over the Yellow Turban remnants. The recapture of Yan Province was Xu Chu's first battle in the service of Cao Cao.

Background
In 193 AD, taking advantage of Cao Cao's absence in Xu Province fighting Tao Qian, Zhang Miao's general Lu Bu launched a surprise attack on Yan Province and captured almost the entire province from Cao Cao's cousin Cao Ren. Cao Cao attempted to recapture the province in the 194 AD Battle of Puyang, but the onset of a famine forced his army to forage for food. He was able to loot vast quantities of food and treasure from the Yellow Turban remnants after the Battle of Yangshan, and, upon his return to Juancheng, he learned from Cao Ren and Xiahou Dun that Lu Bu had left Yanzhou defenseless. Cao Cao decided to launch a surprise attack to reclaim Yan Province from Lu Bu's scattered forces.

Campaign
Lu Bu's generals Xue Lan and Li Fang had left Yanzhou unprotected as they plundered the surrounding county for food to offset the effects of the famine, and their few troops hurried to fight upon hearing that Cao Cao had invaded. Cao Cao's new bodyguard Xu Chu sought to make an introductory gift out of the two generals, slaying Li Fang in the second bout, while Lu Qian killed Li Fang with an arrow as he attempted to flee to Juye. Yanzhou was quickly recaptured by Cao Cao, and Cheng Yu then proposed an expedition to recapture Puyang. Cao Cao sent Xu Chu and Dian Wei to doubly attack Puyang, but Lu Bu withstood the double onslaught. However, Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan attacked his left while Li Dian and Yue Jin attacked from the right, and Lu Bu was overwhelmed and forced to retreat to the city. There, the wealthy Tian family raised the drawbridge and refused to let him back in. Chen Gong escaped through the east gate with Lu Bu's family, and Cao Cao pardoned the Tian family for conspiring against him. Cao Cao left Liu Ye in charge of Puyang as he attempted to pursue Lu Bu's army, following him to Dingtao.